You never really get over culture shock when you are living outside your own culture.

Everything is just different.

Especially for this California girl who moved to South Korea.

It's true, there are some things that you just end up getting used to.

For example, I will probably seem very rude if I ever move back the States

because I will never say "God bless you" after people sneeze,

I will yell loudly to beckon my waiter to come take my order

and I will never say "Excuse me" after bumping into someone at the grocery store

but instead just continue to plow right through them towards the check out.

I will also seem very strange because I will hand everyone everything with two hands,

bow my head to folks multiples times during conversations,

and cross the street boldly whenever I please, regardless of crosswalk or walk sign.

I digress.

Something I will never get used to (and never stop giggling about)

is the hilarious use of the English language here in Asia.

Here is just a sampling of some of the funnies we've sneaked photos of:

And lastly, my personal favorite:

There's so much funny English around here! And the thing about it is is that no one here seems to notice or mind. I have seen so many Korean people walking around (on the street, in plain sight!)wearing clothing with ridiculous, hilarious, and sometimes evendisgusting and offensive English words plastered all over them. Even those that do speak great English will follow the trend of not noticing what their shirt says. My old manager (who has FANTASTIC English and has lived in the States) allowed her 8 year old SON to run around wearing a trendy t-shirt that read: "Romantic Girl."

I rest my case.

The other day, while sipping lattes at the Bux, the hubby and I sawthe best Korean t-shirt EVER. This t-shirt answers every question I've ever had about why
Koreans will wear all this crazy English:

We had to be sneaky and snapped a blurry photo, so if you can't make it out, it reads:

13 comments:

I'm cracking up over here! A. I lived in China for a month and even THAT caused me to come home and act in the exact way you described. Especially the grocery line thing. What is that???B. I will forever laugh at misuse of our language. C. Can I get that last shirt?

hee-hee. my husbands father is greek, we have traveled to greece. it is so funny how foreign countries use english. you can't just can't translate some words between languages. i love the last shirt. haha!